How Series 3 Episode 5 Should Have Ended
by Kathryn Hart
Summary: "And most of all, I really want to try to forget about Nick Cutter and Claudia Brown. You said it yourself, you only live once." "You can try to forget, Jenny, but you never will." A "fix-it" for Jenny's departure. Unresolved Jutter, Click and Janny.


**Hurrah my 20th fic! I'm so happy, it seems like I've been on FF forever! To celebrate my 20th fic, an alternative ending to Series 3 Episode 5. I've seen people write "fix-its" for Stephen and Cutter's deaths, and ones where Jenny comes back, but never one that actually prevents her departure! So here you go! ~Katy (_italics are flashbacks)_**

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_**How Series 3 Episode 5 Should Have Ended

by Kathryn Hart

_"And most of all, I really want to try to forget about Nick Cutter and Claudia Brown. You said it yourself, you only live once."_

_"You can try to forget, Jenny, but you never will."_

_

* * *

_Jenny Lewis took a deep sigh. As she gazed around the ARC's spotless main room, she realized she didn't want to leave. But she had to, this place held too many painful memories. But yet, there was also many happy memories mingled in with the bad. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift.

_ "Jenny Lewis, nice to meet you." She had tried so hard to look and sound professional on her first day at the ARC._

_ "Claudia Brown."_

She stopped and opened her eyes. Seeing the clear image of Nick Cutter's face in her mind nearly brought a tear to her eye.

She missed him so. _If only there was another way..._

_

* * *

_Danny Quinn sat alone. He had not moved from his spot since Jenny had said goodbye.

_"It's not fair!" _He felt like he had just been denied something wonderful by her departure. He sighed wearily and put his head in his hands. _If only there was another way..._

_

* * *

_Jenny Lewis stood outside her car, willing herself to open the door and go home. But she couldn't. Her mind was overwhelmed by the memories created here.

_"Jenny Lewis."_

_"Claudia." He said again. She shook her head._

_ "My name's not Claudia."_

_ "Claudia Brown." She saw the blonde haired girl give Cutter a strange look._

_ "I think you're confusing me with someone else."_

_"I know this sounds insane, but you're actually a woman called Claudia Brown." She had thought right at that moment that this man was completely bonkers and resolved to stay as far away from him as possible. _

_"That didn't last long." _She thought with a weak smile on her face.

_"You handle the creatures, I'll handle the people. Deal?" _

_She stuck out his hand for him to shake. He chuckled and walked away without acknowledging her open hand invitation. She closed her hand and wrinkled her nose with a smile on her face, following his footsteps._

She remembered with sadness and bitterness as she remembered how she paled in comparison in Nick's eyes to this Claudia Brown.

"_Let me help. I want to do something!"_

"_Okay. I want you to go and bully a few traumatized bystanders, and then I want you to come up_ _with some spin to just smooth all this away."_

_"You don't approve of me, do you?"_

_"No, I used to think you were really something, but you're not that person. "_

_"Am I supposed to understand that?"_

_"No, I guess not." _

That was why she had to leave. She would go mad, living everyday, remembering that she could've been someone else, possibly someone who would've been happier than she was right now. Jenny knew that Nick had valued her as a good friend before he died, at least they had that to share.

She opened her eyes and looked up, wondering how the sky could be so blue on such a sad day. It was if the universe was mocking her. She gulped, feeling the tight knot in her throat when she realized she could not leave without resolving something.

"I have to come to terms with the fact that the Professor is well and truly gone, and that I need to move on with my life."

* * *

Danny Quinn stood up from his chair. He would not let this happen again. He had already lost his brother, he would not lose his closest friend. He had worked so hard to get this job, surely there was something he could do. He rushed out the door, hoping to catch her before she left.

* * *

Jenny stood in the front entry of the ARC, standing in the very same spot where she told him not to go.

_ "She wouldn't lift a finger to save you!"_

"Goodbye Nick Cutter." She said, before sobbing uncontrollably into her hands. She didn't want to leave. She had met so many new people, made new friends, done things unimaginable. But the thought of walking through this doorway every day of her life was unbearable. She couldn't do it.

Suddenly she felt a presence behind her. It was Danny Quinn. He pulled her close and let her sob into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to let her go, but grateful that he could be there for her, to hold her one last time.

"I don't want to go, Danny." She whispered.

"Then don't, stay here."

"But I can't, I can't do this alone." Danny pulled her back and put his hand on her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"You are never alone Jenny." Without thinking, he slowly pulled her in for a gentle kiss, but Jenny turned her head away from him, not willing to share an intimate moment at this time. Thoroughly ashamed at his selfish desires in her time of grief, he pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Danny, it's alright, I know you didn't mean any harm. I understand." She wiped the tears away from her eyes. Gaining his confidence back, Danny turned around to face her. He grabbed the sides of her arms, just under her shoulders.

"We can work through this together. I can help you deal with this, I'm sure there's something we can do. You will never be alone in this fight." She smiled at him, his presence easing her pain.

"Thank you, Danny, that means a lot." She reached over and hugged him.

"Now c'mon, I'll help you take your stuff back in." With one arm he grabbed her bag and with the other he wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her close. She leaned against him, letting the warmth of his body surround her.

Laying her head against his shoulder, she sighed deeply. There would be some rough days ahead of her, but she knew she could get through it, with the help of her friends. She looked into Danny's kind face. Maybe someday she could even fall in love again.

Danny walked her back inside the ARC, grateful that he had been given another chance.

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